Good Ol' Barbecue by PEN

 

 

Nothing Fancy. Just Good Ol’ Barbecue 

This restaurant has no fancy slogan. No hype, no jingles, and nobody in a clown suit. What it does have is the best, melt-in-your mouth bar-b-que to be found in the South. 

Called, simply, Fresh Air Bar-B-Que, the restaurant is a little off the beaten path in Jackson, Georgia.  

Established in 1929 by Dr. Joel Watkins, the restaurant was purchased by George W. “Toots” Caston upon the death of Dr. Watkins in 1945. It remains in the Caston family to this day. 

One of my most fond childhood memories is of my Daddy, waking everyone early on a summer Sunday morning (and I do mean early…about four a.m.) to get in the car to drive down south a ways to pick peaches. 

You may think peaches have nothing to do with bar-b-que, but stay with me on this. 

You see, Daddy liked to make a day of it. Get up early and head down to the peach orchard first thing to pick peaches while it wasn’t so hot. Then on to Indian Springs for a nice drink of that mineral water.

By that time, it was lunch time. Time to head over to Fresh Air Bar-B-Que. The establishment itself doesn't look like much more than a shack by the side of the road. But that is the beauty of its appeal: simplicity. The Caston family focuses on the bar-b-que.

That is not to say the place is a shambles. Far from it. The interior is clean and well-organized. And the tangy smell of barbecue will have your stomach grumbling before you even walk in the door. 

The menu is limited. They do, after all, specialize in barbecue so you won’t see a variety of foods to choose from. Brunswick stew and cole slaw, along with drinks and deserts are pretty much all you’re going to find. Make no mistake, it’s all delicious and all very filling. 

As far as my father was concerned, that barbecue was well worth the drive down south. Heck, the vinegar-based barbecue sauce alone is worth the drive. 

So if you find yourself with a hankerin’ for some good ol’, award-winning southern barbecue, head out to Fresh Air Bar-B-Que. You won’t be disappointed. 

They also have a location in Macon, Ga.

 

 

The original Fresh Air Barbecue in Jackson, Georgia, is the oldest pit-cooked barbecue restaurant in Georgia still in its original location. Visit their website for more information!

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Pen is a native Georgian and self-published author. Visit her website at www.penspen.info or check out her latest novel Nero’s Fiddle at http://bit.ly/1rsEQFX .